Adoption
by DemonzDust
Summary: After years of working through Theo's issues, Scott feels confident enough in their relationship that he wants to take what he sees as the next step and adopt a dog. Theo doubts that he's stable enough for it, and that he'll ever be stable enough. Sceo


"Scott, are you kidding?" Stiles says, Xbox controller in hand form the seat on Scott and Theo's sofa that he frequents so often it has shaped to fit him. "This is a terrible idea. What are you going to do if he kills it or hurts it?"

Theo, who's pulling a bottle of water out from the fridge scoffs audibly and rolls his eyes.

He and Scott have been dating for four years and living together for at least two, yet Stiles still insists on talking about him as if he isn't in the room.

"Wow." Scott's tone is harsh, letting Stiles know that he's crossed the line...again.

Stiles had laid off a bit when he finally believed Scott wasn't in danger of being murdered in his sleep but he's never been happy about the relationship.

"I'm sure he and Lydia couldn't raise a goldfish." Theo says, twisting the cap off his water and sitting down next to Scott. "So I'm going to take everything he says with a grain and a half of salt."

"Hey," Stiles says. "we're not even living together...yet." He smiles to himself at the thought. "so we're a long way off from puppies _or _goldfish."

"How is the long distance thing going?" Scott asks and the conversation is diverted.

Theo doesn't really pay attention and instead lets his thoughts drift to what Stiles had insinuated.

Getting a dog had not been his idea.

They had been in the park not too far off campus when Scott saw a dog licking the face of a small child and he'd suddenly exclaimed "You know what?"

"What?" He'd asked, unable to keep a smile off his lips as his boyfriend wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him so close their noses were practically touching.

"We should totally get a dog. Like adopt a little puppy and raise it, just us."

It was the way Scott said it, voice bright with excitement, brown eyes going soft on 'just us' that made Theo agree.

It seemed like such a good idea the way Scott said it.

They'd spent the week looking at different listings online, comparing breeds, debating how far was a reasonable distance to drive to pick it up. Scott was sure he wanted a rescue.

Theo had been excited with him. He was looking forward to filling its dish each day, taking it for runs. Hearing Scott make that dumb high pitched voice when he talked to it.

Now the feeling is seeping away as dark thoughts start to circle him.

What if Stiles is right?

He doesn't want to let Scott down. They've come so far. Scott believed in him, in that he could be better when no one else did. No matter how many times Theo had gotten off track, Scott never gave up on him.

It had been a long time since his last fuckup. But did that mean it was his last?

Sometimes he still has bad thoughts.

He gets a bad grade and thinks about what his professor would look like crying. Thinks about how stupid that teacher is to have so many pictures of their child in their office. Of how easy it would be to find that child and hurt it.

A fellow senior makes a jab at him and Theo thinks about how frequently students just happen to trip down the steps of the student government building.

The girl at Starbucks puts her manicured hand on Scott's arm and bats her eyelashes. Theo knows her body could easily be stuffed in her ex-boyfriend's car and nobody would suspect it was anyone else.

No normal person thinks that.

He imagines what would happen if Scott came home and their dog was just gone. He imagines that he lies to Scott. Tells him it ran away. He imagines Scott eventually learns the truth.

He can see Scott's eyes, horrified and heartbroken.

Would Scott finally give up on him then? Finally throw in the towel. Finally realize that Theo was beyond help?

Everything that they'd worked for gone just like that. The years of improvement and building trust down the drain all over this stupid dead mutt.

He hates this damn dog that Scott is leaving him over.

Theo is roused from his isolated thoughts as he realizes that Stiles is leaving.

"Oh and Scott," Stiles says when they're at the door, his voice low, unaware that Theo can still hear him. "I'm sorry...about how I said that. About the dog I mean. I just...you know I want what's best for you. For you _both_." Theo can hear him wince slightly when he said ''both'.

"Thanks," Scott sighs, "we'll talk about it some other time."

Scott closes the door behind his best friend and sighs.

Would Stiles and Theo ever be able to get along?

He turns to his boyfriend who is staring at the blank TV, fingers digging into the arm of the sofa. Scott can feel his thoughts spiraling off into dark places.

"What're you thinking about?" He asks and settles back down next to him.

The corner of Theo's mouth twitches, trying not to reveal too much. Every muscle in his body is tense.

"Come on babe..." Scott says, putting his hand on Theo's arm and nudging.

Theo lets out frustrated breath and some of the tension loosens under Scott's touch.

"I just," he begins, moving his eyes to look out the window. "I mean, well...maybe we should rethink the whole dog thing..."

"What? Really? Because of what Stiles said?"

There's a long pause.

"What if he's right?" Theo says finally, his voice cold and falsely nonchalant.

Scott loves Stiles but he wants to _kick_ him right now.

Theo has come so far. _They've_ come so far. He knows Theo isn't going to hurt their dog. Years ago maybe, but not now.

He can feel how deep Stiles words are cutting his boyfriend.

"He's not right." Scott says, firmly. "Why would you do something like that?"

"I don't know." Theo responds. "What if it's like really loud or like eats everything..."

"It will be. We already talked about that and you were fine with it before."

"What if it...loves you more..."

Theo slowly turns his eyes to face him. They're cold and glassy.

But Scott is not buying it.

Theo knows he's disappointing Scott.

No one should have to hear "sorry Babe, we can't get a dog because I may kill it."

Scott sighs and takes Theo's wrist in his hand. His touch is strong but gentle. Theo looks up to meet Scott's warm yet sad gaze.

"First of all," he starts, his voice calm and patient, "it won't love me more. It'll love you. It's not going to be _my _dog, it's going to be _our _dog."

Theo can't help but smile a bit. Of course Scott thinks that...

"Second," he says, "you wouldn't do that. You're really not giving yourself any credit at all. The fact that you're worried about it shows how far you've come."

He starts to draw circles on the back of Theo's hand with his thumb.

"And third, we don't have to do this if you don't feel ready."

He brings Theo's hand up to his lips, not breaking eye contact for a moment,  
and kisses his knuckles.

It's like the weight in his heart is smashed into a thousand pieces when Scott leans in and kisses him.

This is why he loves Scott. His patience, his calmness, his strength, compassion.

His everything that Theo is not.

"I love you." Scott whispers in his ear when he breaks away. "How about we get a goldfish instead?"

Three years later Scott and Theo are standing at the shelter, paperwork filled out for a black and brown mutt puppy.

Scott watches Theo nervously. Only a year and a half ago they had been eating takeout on the floor of their new apartment in Beacon Hills when Theo had broached the subject again, claiming he was ready. They had picked out a puppy from a listing, and driven all the way to the shelter six hours away before Theo declared in the parking lot that he couldn't go through with it afterall.

Scott had grabbed his hand immediately and told him that it was okay, that he still loved him, and that Theo was worth more to him than any dog. No matter how perfect or fluffy or cute the dog was. Theo had actually cried. Scott still remembers the the way Theo's body shook in his arms, the sound of his soft broken sobs.

Scott had to ask his mom to adopt the dog they had picked out so it would still have a home.

It had been terribly painful.

This time they were even closer, only a few moments left before the nice woman at the shelter came back with a puppy that _could_ be theirs.

Scott tries not to be nervous. He has to be the cool one because if he is nervous than Theo will fall apart and he's not sure his mom will be happy about having to take another dog.

The woman is walking through the door with the animal in hand. It's perfect in every way. Slightly fluffy, face kind of squished looking, breed entirely indiscernible. It looks sweet and fussy, but a bit scared.

Scott's heart melts when he sees it but his eyes immediately move to Theo to gauge his response. If Theo seems stressed, he is fully prepared to tell the lady that he's sorry but it won't work.

Maybe Sherif Stalinski needs a dog.

Theo doesn't flinch. His eyes go wide and soft as he stares at it.

"Are you ready to be a Dad?" The woman says sweetly as she moves to put it in Theo's arms.

When Theo, slowly but confidently takes it and holds it confidently to his chest, genuine and compassionate, it is the happiest moment of Scott's life.

He knows, for sure now, that Theo is going to be alright.

Theo turns to Scott, a smile on his face as if to say "See? See how good I'm being?" and Scott lets out a relieved laugh.

He moves behind his boyfriend and puts his arms around his waist.

"See, you've got this.." He whispers in Theo's ear as the dog becomes restless and licks his face.

"You three are going to make a happy family." The lady says.

"Yeah," Scott says, voice half muffled in Theo's hair, "yeah we are."


End file.
